The invention relates to new .beta.-carbolines aralkylated, arylated or alkinylated in the A ring, their production and use in pharmaceutical agents.
It is known from numerous publications that .beta.-carbolines bind to the benzodiazepine receptors and can be used as psychopharmaceutical agents.
Thus, in EP-54 507 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,435,403 and 4,596,808), 6-(phenylethinyl)-.beta.-carboline-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester and in EP-A-137 390 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,649) others with phenyl, benzyl or phenethyl-substituted .beta.-carbolines are described. However, these compounds do not show the metabolic stability required for a pharmaceutical agent.
The compounds according to the invention are distinguished by good affinity to the benzodiazepine receptors and by their metabolic stability.